Battle of the Sexes: Who’s the Better Driver?

It’s a longstanding argument. Who are better drivers? Men or Women? According to Reader’s Digest, men may be responsible for more accidents than women, but the gap is getting narrower. Nowadays, women are driving more and with more driving, we’re seeing an increase in the number of accidents. We’re also seeing an increase in the number of female speeders, aggressive drivers and even an increase in the number of fatal accidents.

Still, men seem to be the riskier behind the wheel. According to recent studies, men are less cautious. They’re much more likely to speed, tailgate, drive while intoxicated and drive while not wearing a seat belt. Oftentimes, they take more dangerous turns and take a lot less time parking.

Our Cape Coral car accident lawyers understand that about 80 percent of accidents, recorded in a 5-year period, in which pedestrians were seriously injured or killed, involved men behind the wheel, according to The New York Times. So maybe females are just better at spotting pedestrians. Still, we all have our strengths and our weaknesses.

Social scientists and traffic safety experts say that male drivers around the world get into more than their share of bad traffic crashes, and that the male propensity for aggression and risk taking, fueled by testosterone, is to blame. Again, that’s where officials say the guys get their propensity for speeding, aggressive driving and other dangerous habits behind the wheel.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), more men than women die each year in motor vehicle crashes.

“We don’t have any way of comparing their driving abilities, but on the likelihood of getting into a serious crash in which someone dies, men win handily,” said Anne McCartt with the IIHS.

Get this: ABC News reports that a woman is far more likely to crash into another woman than a man, but a man is less likely than expected to crash into another man.

Still, men are roughly 3.4 times more likely than women to get a ticket for reckless driving and about 3.1 times as likely to be cited for drunk driving, according to a study by Quality Planning. And men are paying for their unsafe behavior, as they typically have higher insurance premiums than female drivers. As a matter of fact, auto insurance rates are lower for women in most states.

But a study conducted by the University of Michigan determined that women get into more accidents than men, even though they drive less.

So, while this is a battle that’s sure to linger on, we’ve got to remember that it’s not a case of who is better than who, but of delivering the message that we all need to do a better job behind the wheel. This is a battle that no one should lose. Work with the males and females in your family to help ensure that everyone’s on the road to safer travels.

If you or someone in your family has been injured in a motor-vehicle accident, contact the Hollander Law Firm at 888-751-7770 for a free and confidential consultation. There is no fee unless we win.